The SportswriterThe Sportswriter
Score Classic
What it's about
Frank Bascombe, a failed novelist turned sportswriter, moves through an Easter weekend as he comes to terms with the great losses of his life. He makes his living studying people who live entirely within themselves, and at thirty-eight, he suffers from incurable dreaminess.
Why it's worth reading
It's on TIME's list of the 100 best novels, and its sequel, Independence Day, won the Pulitzer Prize. It introduced one of the great characters of American fiction.
You'll love it if you liked
Good to know
It's quiet and introspective. It's the first of four Frank Bascombe books.
By the numbers
- Readers2 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics93 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller21 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz3 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
If you like this, read next
To Kill a Mockingbird
The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York
The Color Purple
1984
The Lord of the Rings
A Brief History of TimeExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is The Sportswriter worth reading?
Yes. It's on TIME's list of the 100 best novels, and its sequel, Independence Day, won the Pulitzer Prize. It ranks #1,737 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 66.2 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Sportswriter about?
Frank Bascombe, a failed novelist turned sportswriter, moves through an Easter weekend as he comes to terms with the great losses of his life. He makes his living studying people who live entirely within themselves, and at thirty-eight, he suffers from incurable dreaminess.
How long does it take to read The Sportswriter?
About 9 hours (375 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has The Sportswriter won?
Pulitzer Prize for Fiction winner (1996, for Independence Day).
What should I read after The Sportswriter?
If you liked it, try Rabbit, Run by John Updike, Stoner by John Williams or The Moviegoer by Walker Percy.